


A Break

by intricate_glass_box



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types
Genre: Crying, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Post-Canon, could be read OR or AS, hardenshipping - Freeform, implied consequences for their actions, or at least for Maxie's actions, they're married
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-25
Updated: 2019-06-25
Packaged: 2020-05-19 14:53:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 609
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19359244
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/intricate_glass_box/pseuds/intricate_glass_box
Summary: Maxie and Archie have done their best to move on, to improve their lives and to begin putting good back into the world. But, public opinion may never forgive or forget. // Written March 2019.





	A Break

**Author's Note:**

> I have minimal recollection of writing this.

It was late. Sometime around midnight. Archie was in bed already, reading a book by the light of the nightstand. Maxie had told him not to wait up; he was away, giving a presentation on the recent research that his branch of the organization he worked for had completed. This was a regular occurrence, and it wasn’t terribly far (a few cities away) to the organization’s HQ, but it was reasonably important. Something about future funding. And, Archie knew Maxie felt he had to work extra hard to make up for who he was, what he’d done, and the fact that he was originally placed in this organization by court order. Furthermore, Archie knew it wasn’t unfounded to think there was a prejudice against him… his husband rarely cried, but there had been nights where the stories he brought home from the office brought him to tears. So, these presentations were stressful. He never stayed away overnight, but usually wouldn’t be back until the early morning hours.

At least, that was the usual case. Archie put down his book when he heard a car, and a garage door. He peered out the blinds to make sure that it was in fact Maxie, back early. (Well. Relatively.) A cold feeling settled in his stomach. He knew beating up on some corporate douchebags would only make things worse for his husband, but the thought was always there. 

He quickly got back into bed. Maxie always appreciated being able to go at his own pace, and hated “mother-henning” on Archie’s (or anyone else’s) part. And, there was always the chance that nothing had gone wrong, and it was a lucky coincidence that the day had ended early. 

But then, Maxie came in, visibly distressed. His hair had flyaways, some of which were in his face; his eyes were red-rimmed, and he was worrying his lip between his teeth. 

“Hey, Maxie,” Archie said gently. “Welcome home. Was the drive okay?” He hated to think of Maxie driving back upset like that. 

Maxie didn’t answer, shrugging off his coat and draping it over the back of his desk chair, and the rest of his outer layers. Unlocking his briefcase, rifling through to extract a few things, filing them into their place on his desk… before he all but ran over to the bed, darting up and curling into Archie’s side.

“…Bad day?” Archie asked, feeling a redhead nod up against his shoulder. It felt like Maxie wasn’t breathing. This was apparently a night bad enough to cry. Archie felt his heart break, wrapping an arm around the smaller man and rubbing his shoulder soothingly. He took a deep breath, hoping to subconsciously prompt Maxie to do the same. 

A moment of silence passed. 

“I’m just… tired,” Maxie confessed, the word “tired” so much heavier than just a late night could ever cause. Tired of always working hard and never getting ahead. Tired of never feeling good enough. Tired of never being able to move on from the past. 

Archie turned, wrapping both arms around Maxie and pulling him close. “Maxie, I love you so much. Whatever happened today, you are so much more than this job, than this work, than what they think you are. You’re my whole world. I love you.” 

Archie felt Maxie’s breath hitch then, a moment later, a quiet sob. So they stayed like that, Archie rubbing Maxie’s back as he cried, until the weight of the world had lifted and it was late enough at night to feel alone in the universe in the quiet and safe way, and then they slept, together, in an extended moment of peace.

**Author's Note:**

> w heeze............. everything I write for these two is self indulgent in some way or another and I'm calling myself out on that before anyone else gets a chance to


End file.
